John parker



3"S[1eets-Seet 1. J.- PARKER.

WOOD MANTEL (No Model.)

Patented Oct. 5,1897.

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Y Woon MANTBL. y No. 591,358. Patented Got. 5.1897.'

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PARKER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO PARKERS, LIMITED, OFSAME PLACE.

WOOD MANTEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,358, dated October 5, 1897.

Y Application filed .Tune 27,1896. Serial No. 597,243. (No model.) Patented in England July 13, 1892, N0. 12,854.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN PARKER., j oinery manufacturer, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of England, residing at lll Conybere Street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood Mantels, (for whichI have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 12,854, bearing date July 13, 1892,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the production of wood mantels `in such a manner that after a mantelhas been completed and delivered ready to fix over a grate or other place such mantel can be readily reduced or extended in width without interfering with the commercial value and utility of the mantel.

By my invention I produce an interchangeable mantel, the frieze being connected to the jamb in sucha manner that instead of Vmaking and stocking a number of different widths of the same pattern of mantel I should, by preference, make and stock the parts that `when put together constitute the mantel.

In carrying out my invention I utilize the jambe, frieze-boards, and shelves in the following manner: .In some cases the friezeboard would pass behind each j amb without cutting or scariing in any manner. In such cases the frieze-board would be secured behind the jambs by means of ordinary woodscrews or by other equivalent mechanical means. The shelf would be secured over the frieze-board by means of movable sliding dovetail tenons taking into dovetail mortises cut out of any suitable part of the upper edge of frieze-board or the upper ends of jambs or jamb-brackets. The parts constituting the wood mantel having been so prepared could be readily packed in quantities or in single sets, and when the set was taken to the grate or other place where it was proposed to iix it the frieze-board could be screwed behind the j ambs any required distance apart to suit the width of grate.

To fix the shelf over the frieze-board, the movable dovetail tenons would be screwed onto the under side of shelf at a distance from center to center to suit the dovetail mortises provided on the upper edge of frieze, or on the upper end of jamb or jamb-bracket, so that when the shelf was slid into position the ends of such shelf would project an equal distance over the outer edge of each side j amb.

In some cases the vertical face of frieze would be formedrwith moldings and ornamental surfaces, showing a miter with a j amb or jamb-bracket; but instead of making angular cut miters I scribe the molding or or namental surfaces of the jamb side or jambbracket side over the molding formed on the face of frieze, and thus allow the frieze-board to slide easily behind the jambs to suit the width of grate.

In addition to the vertical frieze-board one or more horizontal shelves parallel with the top dovetail shelf frequently form part of the frieze of high-class mantels. Therefore provision must be made for such horizontal boards to slide between the jambs, and the provision is as follows: v The side of a jamb or jamb-bracket is pierced with a slot entering at the back surface of jamb or jamb-bracket and extending the width of the parallel part of the frieze-shelf. Each end of horizontal shelf part of frieze is made a parallel width for a few inches irrespective of the configuration of the main edge of such horizontal part. Consequently the. horizontal shelf part of frieze will slide in or out of the j ambs with the vertical frieze part.

What I consider to constitute the novelty of my invention is the new manufacture of mantels by connecting the frieze and shelf to the jambs, so that the parts are movable and interchangeable, thus affording great convenience for packing the parts closely together for transit, and also providing means for setting up a mantel adjusted to the exact width' of opening before which such mantel is fixed.

I will now proceed to describe, with refer-` ence to the accompanying drawings, the man ner in which my invention is constructed and used.

Figure 1 represents the frieze-board, which is technically known as the mantel. Fig. 2 represents a plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a vertical elevation of j ambs and friezeboard (or mantel-board) secured together, the position of the shelf being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 represen ts an enlarged end view of dovetail piece. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged horizontal view of dovetail piece. Fig. G represents an edge view of mantelshelf. Fig. 7 represents a plan of under side of mantel-shelf. Fig. S represents a sectional end view of Fig. 3 on the line A B. Fig. 9 represents an enlarged view of upper portion of Fig. S. Fig. 10 represents a back view of Fig. 0. Fig. 11 represents a plan of Fig. 10 exclusive of the shelf. Fig. 12 represents a front elevation of adjustable mantel with one frieze-shelf. Fig. 13 represents a sectional plan of Fig. 12 on the line C D. Fig. 14 represents the frieze-shelf. Fig. 15 represents a section of Fig. 1G on the lineF. F. Fig. 16 represents a sectional plan of Fig. 15 at G H. Fig. 17 represents an inside face view of jamb, showing the slot entering at back surface or edge and extending the width of parallel part of frieze-shelf.

In carrying out my invention I provide the part a, referred to in the preamble as the friezef7 The technical term mantel is generally used to signify a vertical board, stone, or plate carrying on its upper edge a horizontal shelf usually called the mantelshelf. Nevertheless the mantel a, when supplemented with moldings and an under shelf, may be correctly termed a frieze The frieze or mantel a may be made out of a single board or out of several boards, or it may be framed and paneled. In either case the frieze or mantel is formed inthe new and original manner hereinbefore described.

I provide the slots b or in lieu of the slots l) suitable pin-holes or screw-holes. I next provide a dovetail mortise o on the upper edge of mantel a. The mortise c is by preference covered by the molding d. I make and stock any desired number of the boards a of various lengths, each provided with the adjusting-slots Z1 and the dovetail mortise c. I next provide my adjustable jambs c, such jambs being made, by preference, in the box form shown in detail at Figs. 8, 9, and 10; but such method of boxing the jambs I do not claim as new, excepting in combination with the adjustable frieze a.

I provide the mantel-shelf f of any suitable design. I also provide the dovetail tenons g. Such dovetail tenons may be made out of wood, metal, or other suitable material, the adjusting-slots 7L being pierced through the two end dovetails. The central dovetail g may also be pierced with adjusting-slots h where desired, but I preferto fix such central dovetail g rigid and non-adjustable. I next provide the dovetail-adjusting screws j, which may be coach-screws, ordinary joinery screws, or screws of any suitable pattern that can be tightened up with a screw-driver or with a Spanner. I next provide the friezeadjusting screws 7s. Such screws may be of various patterns, as described in reference to the screws j.

The inside face orboard `m of j amb or jambbracket is pierced with a slot a, entering at the back surface o and extending the width of the parallel part p of frieze-shelf.

The dovetail tenon g would usually be secured permanently to the under side of shelf f, but the dovetail tenons g would be placed in position and loosely connected by means of their adjusting-screws 7L.

The separate parts would be made in large or small quantities,as hereinbefore described, and delivered to builders, merchants, or private purchasers. The parts can be taken to the room where it is intended to iix them or they can be put together in the warehouse or workshop of merchant, builder, or other person. In either caseIutilize the separate parts in the following manner: When using one or more frieze-shelves q, the parallel ends p of such shelf or shelves q would be slid into the slots n and the parallel ends of the moldings r in a like manner slid into the slots s. The frieze or mantel a would be then placed in position behind the jambs c and secured thereto rigidly by means of the screws 7c, such screws taking a position in the slots b in accordance with the distance from t to u. It will be readily understood that the parallel ends of shelf q and molding r would extend within the slots a and s to suit the width of jambs from t to u, as illustrated at Figs. 12, 13, and 14.

In some cases I dispense with the friezeshelf q and molding 0*, utilizing a plain frieze, as shown at a, Figs. 3, S, 9, and 10. The mantel shelf is secured to the frieze and jambs or jamb-brackets in the following manner: The dovetail tenons g would be moved along their adj usting-slots h until in a proper position to enter the end dovetail slots o, the tenons g would be fastened rigidly to the under side of mantel-shelf f by means of the adjusting-screwsj, and the mantel-shelf would then be slid into position over the frieze, thus completing my adjustable mantel ready to place in position before the grate or other place where such mantel would be fixed for permanent use.

Having described the nature of my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an interchangeable mantel an adjustable frieze or mantel d constructed of one or more sliding shelves q, adjusted by means of parallel ends p, taking into the guiding-slots a of adjustable jambs m, in conjunction with frieze-adjusting slots?) as and for the purpose described.

2. In an interchangeable mantel adjustable jambs, constructed with frieze-shelf slots a and molding-slots s formed on the inside signature in the presence of two subscribing faces of the jambs together with freze end Witnesses. recesses w, by means of which the jambs can be adjusted over the freze a and over 'the t JOHN PARKER' frieze shelf or shelves q, to suit any Width of Witnesses: grate-opening, as illustrated and described. ALFRED WM. TURNER,

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my FRED. R. FOULSTON. 

